Rhapsody
by Wyatt Braxton
Summary: Major AU. Nero is a teenager off on a summer adventure. His quest? To investigate the legend of the ghost town Fortuna.
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own Devil May Cry or anything capcom related. This is a work of pure fiction written for fun_

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Nero checked the trunk of his red sports car, Red Queen, one last time to make sure he packed his luggage. The eighteen-year-old grinned when he found everything to be in order as he held his hand out to his uncle.

"Everything is in place old man, hold over the keys."

Dante frowned and feigned a hurt expression. "What Kid, I don't even get a good bye hug?"

Nero rolled his eyes, "Come on Dante, you promised me if I got into an Ivy League school, you'll let me go on a summer road trip by myself. I held up my end of the bargain now hold up yours. Now give me the keys . . . or do I have to drop kick you on your old ass first?"

Dante laughed at his nephew's trademark cocky behavior. "Yeah right Kid, as if you could do such a thing," he reached his hand out to ruffle Nero's hair, knowing how much it annoyed the teenager to be treated like a child.

Nero scowled at his uncle while he fixed his hair.

"Relax kid there is still plenty of day light time left. . .And besides what kind of parental figure would I be if I just let you drive off without making sure you understand the rules first?" Dante crossed his arms and leaned against one of the doors to the sports car.

"I don't know what kind of parental figure are you? Really the most important lifelong lesson I learned from you is not to piss off any woman that owns a rocket launcher."

"And that my dear Nero is the most important lesson in life."

"How did you meet Lady anyways?"

"I could tell you that story. . . or you could recite to me the rules of your little road trip and be on your merry way. Your choice, Kid." Dante held up the keys to Red Queen and jingled them a bit in Nero's face. His nephew's reaction was automatic and expected.

"Rule Number One: No hitchhikers. Rule Number Two: Only sleep in hotels or motels, never sleep in a stranger's house. Rule Number Three: I must have some form of communication with you every day for at least five minutes; otherwise you will hunt me down and drag me back home," Nero recited in a bored tone.

"Correction, otherwise I will hunt your dumbass down, drag you back home; kicking and screaming, and ground you until University starts. "

"Yeah yeah whatever old man, just hand over the keys already," Once more Nero rolled his eyes before reaching his hand out to try and snatch the keys from his uncle only to have Dante move out of the way.

"Not so fast, you forgot the golden rule. Go ahead state the golden rule and the keys are yours."

Nero sighed before glaring at his uncle. He hated the "golden rule". "Don't do anything stupid," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that Kid? Gonna have to speak up, I am an old man after all."

"Don't do anything stupid. . . Happy you old bastard?"

"I will be happy if you manage not to do anything stupid. " Dante held out the car keys for his nephew to take. "I'm serious about number three by the way. If I don't get a call from you at least once every twenty four hours I will assume the worst and hunt you down. "

Nero snatched the keys from his uncle's hand, grinning. "Tch, whatever. Come on life is not a horror movie. Nothing is going to happen to me."

"Life may not be a horror movie but that doesn't mean horrible things don't happen. How many of those cheap horror flicks are based on true stories somewhat? ," Dante stopped leaning against the car and stood up fully. "And besides your starting this trip like a cliché horror movie, visiting a mythical ghost town."

"Come on Dante, you don't really believe those rumors about Fortuna are true do you?"

"Maybe I do. . . maybe I don't. I'm more concerned about the fact that my teenage nephew much rather go ghost hunting then spend time at the beach with a few good looking babes."

"That is because you surround yourself with enough women for the both of us. . .And besides this is going to be like an adventure. Even if I find nothing it will still be interesting to investigate the legend of Fortuna myself. . .Who knows maybe I will find something and be able to write a book. "

Dante shook his head with a sigh. "I can't believe you got accepted into the top colleges in the country and your dream job is to be a paranormal investigator. "

Nero shrugged, "Well my major is English. . .I'll probably write something amazing and win a bunch of awards that I can rub in your face."

"Well some of the greatest writers of all time played for the other team, want to admit anything to me? I promise I won't disown you if you admit you play for the pink team."

". . . I swear you are such a jackass at times. If anything, your damn tacky red leather coat is questionable. Want to admit anything?"

"Yeah I do, babes dig this coat. If you want I'll get you one for your birthday, maybe then you'll finally bring home a girlfriend."

". . .You know what I'm leaving NOW," With that said Nero walked away from his uncle opening the car door."

"Nero! One more thing!"

Nero sat in the driver's seat pausing for a moment at his uncle's voice. "What now?"

"If anything happens . . . if you need help with anything . . . and I do mean anything. I'll help you no questions asked, and I won't even tease you."

Nero smiled softly to himself, "I'll keep that in mind, but I doubt it. See ya Dante." Turning the key in the ignition Nero started the car and drove off.


	2. Chapter 2

Dante walked back inside of the Devil May Cry shop that doubled as a home and office. He wasn't surprised to see two women sitting on the couch.

"Okay stop me if you already heard this one. . .So this guy walks into a shop and there is a blonde and a brunette -"

"Dante shut up before I try to kill you," The brunette said standing up. With her right hand on her hip and her left foot tapping against the wooden floors she glared at Dante. "I thought you were never going to shut up."

Dante waved a hand dismissing her comment before moving to sit on the chair behind the desk, "Some of us have hearts. "

"I hate to say it but I have to agree with Lady," The blonde woman spoke as she pulled a lap top out from her bag. "For a moment I thought you were going to back out of the agreement."

Dante propped his feet up on his desk as he reclined back in the chair. "I still think I should have been allowed to warn Nero what he might be getting himself into."

"There is too great of a risk that it might ruin this whole operation. "

"There is also a great chance it might save his life," Dante replied back to the blonde.

Lady took her sunglasses off, her two tone eyes glaring at Dante. "You don't trust us with your nephew's life?"

"If I didn't, do you think I would have agreed to any of this? I trust you two, but I worry for him."

The blonde spoke up again, "Don't worry Dante, I had trackers placed on nearly everything Nero owns. His car, his laptop, his cellphone, his boots, his watch, his belt, and his ring. No matter where Nero is we will be able to track him and send help his way."

"Trackers were placed in every other victim in this experiment and still everyone who tried to find Fortuna ended up missing."

"We are hoping Nero will be different. After all his father is the only documented person to find Fortuna and come back alive."

Dante snorted. "Yeah Vergil came back home alive . . . and then threw himself off the roof top a week later. Muttering non-sense about a how there is no heaven just a hell. God is a demon and so are all the angels." He closed his eyes. "That whole week . . . all he could talk about was Hell, demons and paradise. None of it made sense."  
Lady's glare softens. "Nero will be different we promise. All the advances made in technology and all the knowledge we know now. . . We will make sure no harm will come to Nero. "

"Our deal still holds, if I even think Nero might be in trouble, you two spill everything you know and I am personally going after Nero myself."

Lady nodded her head, "Of course Dante . . .I would love to show you all the information now, but only selected government officials may see it. . . of course if you want to, you can always join the team again. You were our best agent"

"No thanks, I'm perfectly entertained with being a private detective," Dante replied to Lady before opening his eyes to glare at the blonde haired woman. "Trish?"

The blonde looked up from the laptop, "Dante. . .You know I never been one to be dishonest. If any of my agents can't give me a report on Nero then I will contact you right away and give you a full report."

He nodded his head before closing his eyes again.

"You know Dante," Lady began, "If Nero does manage to find Fortuna, and I'll be more than glad to offer him a place on my team."

"You say that almost as if you are asking me for permission."

"Well you are still his legal guardian until he is twenty-one."

"I would like for him to have a chance at a normal life, but I guess I sort of doomed him by letting him run off now didn't I? "

"Don't say it like that, you gave him the opportunity to peruse a dream of his safely. . .Now can I have the kid on my team when he comes back or what?"

Dante smirked a bit, glad that Lady was speaking about Nero's return so positive. "Ask him yourself when he returns."

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Alright here goes the AN's for ch1&2  
-So here I go at my first attempt to write an AU for DMC, I know there aren't many out there for this fandom so hopefully this doesn't suck too badly.  
-The title comes from the song "Rhapsody" by The Trax. A very pretty and romantic song.  
-My inspiration for this? Comes from watching one too many horror movies, growing up on urban legends and listening to the song "Bride of the Sleeping Forest" by The Candy Spooky Theater one too many times.  
-What does the above mean? It means that even though this is starting out nice and light it will end pretty dark.  
- Anyone a fan of dark romances?

As always all comments, questions, and reviews of any kind are very much welcomed and wanted.


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